ST. LOUIS >> As Republican-led states rush to ban gender-affirming care for minors, some families with transgender children find solace in living in states that allow them to continue treatment. However, in some places like Missouri and North Dakota, medical providers have abruptly halted care due to concerns about liability. These challenges have made it harder for people to access care even where it remains legal.
Becky Hormuth, whose 16-year-old son was receiving treatment at the Washington University Gender Center until it stopped care for minors, described the news as a crushing blow. She expressed frustration with politicians who don’t understand the benefits of healthcare for transgender children.
Conservative lawmakers and governors in at least 22 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. These laws face legal challenges, and enforcement has been put on hold by courts in some cases.
While all the laws ban gender-affirming surgery for minors, there is variation in how states handle puberty-blockers and hormone treatments. Some states allow starting puberty blockers for minors, while others ban it. Some states allow those already receiving treatment to continue, while others phase out the treatments over time.
Major medical groups accept these treatments as evidence-based care that transgender individuals should have access to.
Treatment at the Washington University center had a transformative impact on James Thurow’s stepson. His depression and anxiety significantly decreased, and his academic performance improved. The center expressed disappointment in having to stop care due to liability concerns imposed by the new law.
Liability clauses are not the only reason providers have stopped treatment. In the South, where most states have banned gender-affirming care for minors, psychologists and pharmacists have stopped offering care due to confusion and misconceptions about the laws.
Organizations like the Campaign for Southern Equality are providing grants and navigation services to help children access treatment in states where it is legal. However, unlike abortion care, gender-affirming care is ongoing and requires continued access.
Families like the Dolneys in North Dakota and Hormuth’s family in Missouri are facing the difficult decision of traveling to other states or moving in order to access necessary healthcare for their children.
The challenges faced by transgender individuals and their families highlight the ongoing struggle for equal access to healthcare.
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